Toluna Review – Unique Social Survey Site or Scam?

Toluna is among some of the most commonly known paid survey sites and has garnered a variety of opinions from their thousands of members online. Although Toluna is a commonly known site, that doesn’t mean it’s worth your time.

In this Toluna review, we’ll take an indepth look into the site, the company behind it, and overall, answer the question, “can you actually make any money?”

What is Toluna?

Toluna is owned by ITWP Acquisitions Ltd. ITWP is a private investment firm that owns Toluna, Harris Interactive and KuRunData. Frédéric-Charles Petit, the current CEO, founded ITWP in 2000. ITWP is a digital market research company that primarily focuses on automation and digital.

Toluna works by helping companies make intelligent business decisions by providing them with the input of people that use those products and/or services.

As a Toluna Influencer, users of Toluna interact with the platform and offer their voice to better the products and services they use, in real time. This is accomplished via surveys on the Toluna website.

How to Reach Toluna

That input is used to influence how companies market, advertise and distribute their products and services. In exchange for the Toluna Influener’s offering their voice, they’re rewarded with points that can be exchanged for cash and other rewards.

How Does Toluna Work?

Toluna advertises that they use industry leading technology and consumer intelligence experts to craft Insights on Demand. This is an automated, end-to-end platform that provides consumer intelligence in real time. On top of creating that automated system, Toluna maintains a massive online community of influencers that are engaged and prepared to offer their opinion when needed. This entire processed in displayed in the following diagram:

Toluna calls their automated platform that delivers consumer opinions on demand, TolunaInsights. This is the system that really powers everything Toluna does.

Members of Toluna are the core of how the business works. They answer the questions market research agencies and businesses have and by doing so, get compensated for their work.

Now you’ll have to go to the email inbox of the email you used to sign up and verify your account by clicking the button in the email from Toluna:

Then you’ll be brought to a page that will ask you finish adding information to your account:

The questions that follow are question that help Toluna get to know you (so they can pair you up with the most relevant surveys).

This questions will cover your address, race, education level, income, employment, number of people living with you and more. After you finish up that round of questions, you’ll be ready to access the panel.

After accessing the site you can begin browsing and perhaps even take your first survey. You can observe your profile (which may require you to answer a few more questions), your current point count and access to your rewards.

To access your first survey, just go to the survey center and see what’s available. Go to the “Surveys” tab along the top of the site and click “Survey Center.”

The surveys may be labeled as categories such a “lifestyle” or “food” - the important thing to look for it to see how many points each survey can range up to. The higher the point value, the more you should prioritize the survey.

That’s it! Those steps should complete your initial set up with Toluna.

Ways to Earn

Toluna offers a variety of ways to earn, and they’re all based around you sharing your opinion.

Just Signing Up

Toluna awards each new member 500 points, just for signing up. This is a great way to start your earnings strong and have something to build on.

Profile Surveys

Another quick way to get some points is to fill out any profile surveys you haven’t gotten to yet.

When in the Survey Center, look at the sidebar on right side of the screen and click a few profile surveys; you can earn about 100 points each. You could also hover over the “Surveys” tab and click “Profile Surveys.”

Profile Surveys help Toluna to get to know you and better personalize the surveys that you’re offered.

By filling out these Profile Surveys, not only will the surveys be better targeted, they’ll also enable you to qualify for more surveys. So make sure you complete them!

Surveys

Surveys are by far the best way to earn points with Toluna. Simply go to the “Surveys” tab and click “Survey Center.”

The surveys range on a variety of topics and how many surveys you get weekly depends upon your answers when signing up. Many times the surveys are targeted to specific demographics.

Before beginning the actual survey, you’ll answer a few screening questions to ensure you’re the right fit. If you fail that screening, you’ll be exited from the survey. If this happens, stay patient and try another survey. Toluna uses this process to ensure the integrity of each survey is upholded and the brands looking for the answers to those surveys are getting exactly what they need.

One thing to note, take each survey you get as quickly as possible. Surveys can fill up and if you don’t access them fast enough, you may lose them. You’ll be notified of new surveys via email or you can just check the Survey Center yourself.

Surveys pay from 15 to 50,000 points. The actual point value for each survey depends upon their subject matter and length. Surveys can really vary, so make sure you keep an eye out for the best ones.

Points are often credited right to your account upon completing each survey, but it may also take weeks (according to Toluna’s website).

Quickvotes

Quickvotes are brief polls (typically one question) and are sponsored (rather than user created polls). Each Quickvotes poll earns you 15 points, so go through and ensure you complete them daily.

Referrals

Referrals are a great way to earn extra points. You can do this simply by getting your friends and family to sign up!

Once each person completes the sign up process (using your unique link), you’ll receive 500 points. You can refer up to 10 friends per month.

Test Products

You can get free stuff in exchange for testing various big brand’s new products. You’ll be randomly selected to try out a new product. If chosen, they’ll send you the item and you’ll just have to fill out a few questions about it. After that, it’s yours!

Creating Content

The Toluna site states that you can earn up to 1,000 points for each content piece created. One thing to keep in mind when posting content, focus on quality, not quantity.

Quality content means polls and topics that have a title and an image or video. Ensure that your poll topic shows your opinion clearly and also keep your wording respectful of Toluna’s terms and conditions.

In terms of what content you create, focus on polls, topics and opinions.

Polls

Users can create polls that asks other members a particular question. Each poll is created so that Toluna members each select their answer to the poll from the options provided (some polls allow for multiple answers to be selected). Each member created poll can get 10 responses.

Topics

Whereas polls allows other members to select from a list of answers to a particular question, Topics allow you to begin a discussion about a particular topic. A member opens a discussion about a particular topic and other members can comment under that topic and leave their opinion.

Battles

Battles are when two videos or photos are placed against each other in a “battle.” The community will then vote on the photo or video they prefer between the two and ultimately one of the two wins the battle.

Thumb It

Thumb Its is when you post an image or video and then the community reacts to it by giving it a thumbs up or thumbs down. This gives the community the ability to voice their opinion about what’s presented.

What Are the Payment Options?

Upon completing a survey, polls, referring your friends, profile surveys or any other earning platform on Toluna, you are rewarded with points.

When your reach 30,000 points you can redeem your points for rewards. The primary reward option is gift cards (like Target, Amazon, etc.) but there are other options such as PayPal.

You can also use your points to enter the weekly sweepstakes. For example, you could enter 500 points for a chance to win $120.

Toluna Coupons/Deals

One of the best promotions Toluna has is their sign up bonus. New users get 500 points for creating a new account. This is a pretty decent way to begin your earnings.

Toluna Hacks

n order to make Toluna as profitable as possible, we’ve put together a few of our top tips for those interested in using the platform

Take Surveys Immediately

You can get notified of new surveys via email. This is a great way to keep track of when surveys are available. However, that survey notification may not always be immediate and most of the surveys are limited in terms of how many people can take it. So, you should check the Survey Center, at least daily, to ensure you’re getting every opportunity.

Get the Mobile App

By downloading their mobile app, you’ll get access to surveys, polls and other functionalities like Battles and Thumb It on the go.

This will enable you to ensure you are accessing opportunities when it’s convenient for you.

Invite Your Friends

Inviting your friends is a great way to earn extra points. It doesn’t take that much work and the payout is decent. You can event share your referral link on your social accounts to spread your reach.

Quickvotes (Sponsored Content)

Quickvotes should be your preference over member created Polls, Topics, Battles and Thumb Its. Those are great and you should participate in them not only because you may win points, but because you are also able to voice your opinion.

Though, to make the most amount of points with the short answer (non survey) parts of Toluna, Quickvotes is your best bet. As they’re sponsored content, you get points for simply answering a poll.

Pick the Best Gift Card With the Most Value

For the most part, 3,000 points is $1 in Toluna’s rewards system and 30,000 points is the minimum to cash out (which is $10).

You may find certain gift cards have a better conversion rates and so a better value. Be on the lookout for those, if that particular gift card is one that you’re interested in.

Limit Sweepstakes Entries

Although the prospect of winning a sweepstake is appealing, you should limit your entries in each sweepstake. For example, entering 500 points into a sweepstake to win $120 sounds great, but if you don’t win, that was wasted points. Therefore, we recommend that you cautiously enter sweepstakes as you may just lose points that could’ve been used towards a reward.

Pros and Cons

Pros

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The website is simple and easy to navigate

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Get points just for signing up

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Many ways to voice your opinion

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Privacy policy is decent

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Mobile app for Android and iOS

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Variety of payment options

Cons

Most of the surveys are 15 minutes or longer

Takes 30,000 points ($10) to cash out. PayPal cashout limit is $30.

May get removed from survey during screening questions

Other Customer Reviews

Overall, Toluna reviews are mixed. As it is such a big site with so many members, there are quite a few reviews online.

Members pointed out their frustration with the point system and felt as though it took too long to be able to cash out. Another reviewer stated that after completing a survey, it took a lot of time to get the points credited to their account.

Others stated that the surveys were fun and interactive. Some long time members commented on the site and stated that the service has been improving.

Reviews on TrustPilot were mostly negative. Members commented on their frustration with the being disqualified from surveys during the screening process. Others noted some technical issues they encountered when taking the surveys.

Another review stated that the incentives were pretty good and they also liked the social aspect of Toluna.

Although there seems to be quite a few negative reviews, particularly on TrustPilot, we noticed that Toluna was actually responding to these negative reviews directly and attempting to address the issue. It doesn’t excuse the issues that those member encountered, but it shows that the company is working to improve itself.

How Does It Compare?

Toluna is definitely one of the largest surveys sites. They have a large company (ITWP) behind them and their privacy policy definitely gives them an advantage over sites like Survey Voices.

Their size enables them to have a legit community where members can interact and voice their opinions, that’s something not many other survey sites offer.

Though, whereas sites like Swagbucks offer low cash out requirements, Toluna’s points to cash ratio seems a bit off and it takes quite some time to redeem a reward.

The reward options on the site are great though, and although they don’t have all the bids and sweepstake options VIP Voice does, they offer direct payment via things like gift cards and PayPal, which is convenient.

FAQs

Is registration to Toluna free?

Yes, registration is completely free. Rather than paying to join the service, you are paid to use the service.

How many points do I earn for participating?

Most surveys range from 15 to 50,000 points. This range is based on things such as survey length and topic.

Where are my points?

When you get your points from surveys and sweepstakes depends upon that particular survey/sweepstake used. Some surveys get your points credited quickly or within a few days. At times this could take longer as the points may not credit until that survey is completely closed. Overall, you shouldn’t have to wait any longer than 6 weeks, if you do, we recommend you contact Toluna directly.

Is Toluna Legit or a Scam?

Although some users have had issues with Toluna’s timing in delivering points for completed surveys, cash out times and the screening fail rate, Toluna is most certainly legit.

There are many respectable parts of the site and it can actually make you money, if your put the time in. You won’t be able to quit your day job using Toluna, but it can provide some extra cash.

Toluna is owned by ITWP, which says a few things. First, ITWP is a large company that’s been around for a long time with a commitment to market research. Second, ITWP owns a few other survey entities, so they are very familiar with the business.

A+

Additionally, Toluna USA, Inc. has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau since September of 1996. Their “A+” rating shows that this company takes what they do seriously.

Their privacy policy is pretty good as well. They break down exactly how they use your information in the FAQs. Basically, they don’t provide any of your identifying information to their clients (or other agencies) and they stress that the personal information you provide is primarily to ensure you get matched up with the right surveys.

Is Toluna Worth It?

There are many survey sites available today, though not many are the size of Toluna. This is a survey site with a long history and a commitment to the brands that use the site for research as well as the members of the site who answer the important questions.

We wouldn’t say Toluna is the very best survey site online, but it is a decent one. Their system is straightforward and they offer multiple ways to make money.

In all, we’d say Toluna is worth a try. It is by no means a perfect service, but it outshines quite a few of the lesser quality surveys sites out there.

Toluna is not a perfect survey site, but very few are. They offer a variety of surveys and the payout is average. They set themselves apart with their opinion driven elements like Polls and Topics. For survey takers that really like to voice their opinion, this site provide an outlet to do so. Toluna, with ITWP backing them up, is worth trying.

The goal at SurveysScholar is to separate the legit paid survey sites from the scams. Although we may receive compensation from some of the sites we link to, the opinions expressed on this site are our own. We strive to find and communicate the very best ways to make money online.